Artists: on Saturday, Oct. 3, be sure to submit your two-dimensional works to the Pagosa Mountain Hospital and Pagosa Springs Arts Council’s second collaborative Juried Art Exhibition and silent auction.

Submissions will be received from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Pagosa Mountain Clinic’s Education Room. The exhibit’s Call to Artists can be downloaded from PSAC’s Web site at http://www.pagosa-arts.com/events.html.

Everyone is invited to attend this exhibit’s opening and artists’ reception, to be held at the Pagosa Mountain Hospital and Clinic campus on Saturday, Oct. 17, from 6 to 9 p.m.

The focus for this year’s collaborative exhibit, which will feature the juried art works of our beloved local artists, is to seek sponsorship of these works to continue to add to the permanent art collection of both the hospital and clinic. As part of this year’s collaborative exhibit, a silent auction of donated art, jewelry and other fun items will be held, with all the proceeds benefiting the hospital’s tree carving project. Come out, enjoy the warm, smooth jazz vibes of John Graves on keyboard and savor the delectable hor d’ouevres, desserts and beverages, while you sponsor your favorite local artist’s work and outbid your friends in fun in the silent auction.

Works for the exhibit were selected by juror Barry Durand, president of the Durango Photo Club. .

The exhibit is crisp, strong and a delight for one’s sensibilities, with an excellent mix of representational and abstracted works in color, black and white and sepia-toned hues.

Carol Sexton’s exquisitely-manipulated color palettes create a stark, surreal, yet comfortably warm view of her world. Her “Cabin of Days Past” is stellar.

The liquid, fiery colors in Bill Woggon’s “Reflections” offer warmth and peacefulness as if to counter the tension of a lone water bubble about to burst on the cool calm.

And one can almost hear the air flowing through the wings of geese in flight in Barbara Conkey’s “Sunset at the Bosque del Apache.”

Plan to view this exhibit at our Town Park Gallery. Gallery hours are Tuesday through Sunday noon-4 p.m.

Mural on Main

Our new mural is complete.

And what a breathtaking mural it is!

The project development team sincerely thanks artists Jeffry Haas and Hayley Goodman for an effort very well done. We also thank three Pagosa Springs High School graduates — Jacob Faber, Rachel Jensen and Betsy Schur — for their contributions to the mural execution. We cannot wait to see the mural in all its glory when it is installed as the centerpiece of the new pocket park planned between The Rose Restaurant and the Laird-Plate building in our historic downtown business district.

With the mural now complete, the project development team is focusing efforts on fund-raising for the construction of the pocket park. On Sept. 1 the Mural on Main Project received the Board of County Commissioners approval for an earmark of Ballot 1A park funds of the amount of $8,000 to be used towards the construction of the pocket park. On behalf of the project development team, we graciously thank the Parks, Recreation, Open Space and Trails Task Force for recommending our project for this PROST small grant award, and the Board of County Commissioners for their approval. With this PROST award, a recent $2,500 award from a Colorado-based grant foundation, and a recent major, pledged donation from an anonymous benevolent benefactor, the project development team has raised over $20,000 towards our funding goal. We are only about $10,000 to $15,000 away from achieving our goal of making this new space a reality.

To make a donation to the Mural on Main Project, mail your check payable to the Pagosa Springs Arts Council, Attention: Linda Echterhoff, President, P.O. Box 533, Pagosa Springs, CO 81147. Any donation amount is welcomed; small or large. Be sure to include a note on the memo line of your check indicating how the funds are to be used, i.e., “For Mural on Main Project”.

“Re-Beading”

The theme of the October 3 Beading Class with Elizabeth Claire Baldwin is “Repair-Restring-Redesign.” You can bring your own materials and if you have a necklace or a piece of jewelry that is no longer appealing you may bring it to the class. It may need to be repaired, restrung or completely redesigned using crystals and beads to give it a whole new look.

Call PSAC at 264-5020 to register for the class. Also mark your calendars for a special holiday beading class in December.

Photo Club

We are very proud to be the parent organization of the Pagosa Springs Photography Club! This PSAC club meets at 6 p.m. the second Wednesday of each month from September through May. Interested photography enthusiasts are welcome to attend at no charge for the first meeting. Any and all are invited to join the club; annual dues are $20 for individuals and $30 for a family membership. For more information, contact Barbara Conkey at blconkey@rockymtncable.com or 731-6877.

Plein Air Painters

We are equally proud to be the parent organization for Plein Air Painters. This fun group meets at 10 a.m. on the third Thursday of the month at a predetermined location. Painters who work in any media are welcome. This group offers a wonderful opportunity for artists and art enthusiasts alike to share tips, ideas and resources. If the weather is nice, the group paints outdoors. If the weather is bad, the group paints in the community center Arts and Crafts Room. Please keep in mind that turpentine-based painting materials cannot be used in the community center. Please call Jean Smith at 264-6647, if you need more information.

PSAC workshop calendar

The Pagosa Springs Arts Council sponsors and manages workshops in the Arts and Crafts Room at the Community Center. From the outset, the Arts Council has been a partner and supporter of the Community Center. All of the workshop classes are held in the Arts and Crafts Room of the community center. Call PSAC at 264-5020 to register for any of the classes and pre-registration is required.

Oct. 3 — Beading with Elizabeth Claire Baldwin, $35 plus materials.

Dec. 5 — Beading with Elizabeth Claire Baldwin, $35 plus materials.

New members and volunteers

Started in 1988 the Pagosa Springs Arts Council, a non-profit organization, was conceived and developed to, in part, promote the awareness of the vast array of local artistic talent, provide educational and cultural activities in the community, sponsor exhibits and workshops by local and regional artists and encourage and support continued appreciation and preservation of the aesthetic beauty of Pagosa Springs. If becoming involved with such a dynamic organization excites you, we hope that you will consider becoming a member or perhaps even volunteer. If you have questions or would like more information regarding joining, call the PSAC office at 264-5020.